Sunday 4th June
Westbury Harriers – Weekly News
Editors Piece
The summer means it’s the start of track and field events and I’ve been watching a few of the Diamond League races on the BBC iplayer. If you’ve not watched the last event in Florence I do recommend it as you can enjoy watching a world record being broken.
If you fancy breaking a world record, or perhaps just experience running around the track I can recommend our tracker taster evening on Friday 23rd June. Or perhaps give Nicola’s training session at Yate a try on a Tuesday evening, booking via Runtogether
Something completely opposite to track running which involves plenty of hills and mixed terrain, yes, it’s the Blaise Blazer tomorrow evening! I’m afraid you’re too late to enter but there’s nothing to stop you helping out on the day. If you can volunteer please fill out the form for Alastair (link below). We also need you to bake (or buy) plenty of CAKES! So bring along all your tasty CAKES, because let’s been honest we’ll have worked up an appetite after running and volunteering.
PS can somebody please save a cake for the tail runners? https://tinyurl.com/45tx59wb
Tuesday Running Session at Yate Track and Thursday Intervals
No surprise we’re at Coombe Dingle Sports Centre again. The session for Thursday involves 3 sets of the following: 4 x 90 secs (reducing recovery 1min recovery, 40secs recovery, 20secs recovery) 2 mins recovery between each of the sets.
Will aim to do as an out and back, the reducing recovery makes this tough! Aim is to make it the same distance for each of the 90secs so pacing is key. Aim for quicker than 5k pace
*Option to do 2 sets or miss the 4th interval in each set.
The Tuesday track session at Yate will be published on facebook nearer the time.
River Cruise Social – Saturday 12th August.
People have expressed an interest in the river cruise (no stops) to Beeses planned for Saturday 12th August. Departing by the SS Great Britain at 18:00 and returning 21:00. The last part of the trip will be drinks on the boat in the Harbour as they need to get back through Netham Lock by 20:30. The boat (Bagheera) has a fully licensed bar and WC facilities. Price includes fish and chips on the boat.
I’m pleased to report we’ve reached the minimum number needed for this yo happen but the more the merrier (up to a minimum of 45) so interested individuals will need to pay a £10 non-refundable deposit to Sarah’s Monzo Account. Costing varies, with a minimum of 30 it is £36 per head and £28 for a maximum of 45.
Club Supper – Black Swan, Thursday 8th June
Just a reminder that we have the club supper this Thursday.
Cotswold Relay
We don’t have long now until the Cotswold Relay. I can tell a lot of you have all been getting in your recce’s at that includes Anneke (not pictured), with her daughter Caroline , and Svetlana for leg 2.
Member of the month Winners
Congratulations to Lucy, pictured below, for taking part in the track and field event for youngsters. Also, thanks to her dad for sharing it with the club.
Our session winner is Ann Dockery for winning European and world duathlon championships and for her recent representation in England half marathon masters team .
Tintern Trot Thur 6th July and Nailsea Beer and Banger Fri 30th June
Two events that are very popular within the club, first is a scenic trail race and the second is a 10k road race around the quiet lanes of Nailsea with a BBQ and beer at the end!
Club Championship Races
We have two new races added to the Club Championship series. The Bitton 5k is an out and back along the cycle path on Wednesday 5th July. On Tuesday 8th August we have the Rose Inn 4 Mile Race and flat, fast circuit around country lanes that finishes at the pub. Finally, on the Wednesday 16th August we have the Crook Peak Fell Race.
Endurance Life 44 Mile Classic Quarter
Congratulations to Dan Davies (pictured below) who finished the EnduranceLife 44 mile Classic Quarter on 20th May and was 4th V50.
Dartmoor Discovery
Well done to Hannah Walsh who was racing yesterday down in Devon at the Dartmoor Discovery – a 32.5 mile road ultra taking in a loop of the moor with about 4000ft of elevation. Hannah says, ‘I never really run far on the road these days but it was a good training run for the Beacons Way 100 miler I’m working towards later in July. I was surprised to get 3rd lady in a time of 4.47. It’s such a brilliant race – run by a great local club Teignbridge Trotters who are so good at putting on races! This year was the first year in the event’s history that it didn’t sell out though – I’d highly recommend it to other club members for next year as an amazing run, with beautiful views and very affordable as ultras go.’
Well done Hannah and good luck with the Beacons Way 100 miler in July!
Scafell Sky Race
A great run by Olivia Zeltner running the Scafell Sky Race in the Lake District. Olivia goes on to say, ‘Well chuffed with the outcome of this one!
Managed 5th woman and 27th (out of 245) overall I think. Up until the summit of Bowfell there was a nice battle between myself and two other women for the third place slot. Unfortunately I just didn’t have the technical descending skills to get in the mix.
This was my first sky race and certainly won’t be the last!’
Running, Camping and Canoeing at Symons Yat 10-11th June, by Mark Andrews
A thank you to everyone who responded to our earlier post about a weekend away. We have now finalised plans. There wasn’t interest in camping on the Friday night so we have shortened the weekend to just the Saturday night away with the details as follows:
Saturday: Meeting at 10:45am at Wyedean Canoe and Adventure Centre, Symonds Yat East HR9 6JL, for the 9 mile canoe trip. You will need to book in advance, canoes still available at the moment. Pay and display carpark next to the centre.
Camping at Sterrett’s Caravan Park, Symonds Yat West, Herefordshire, HR9 6BY, our booking is in the name of Sarah Andrews and if you tell them that or mention Westbury Harriers they should be able to give us pitches next to each other.
I will go for a gentle afternoon short riverside run before either a Barbecue or pub meal depending on the weather ( hopefully can make a decision later in the week).
On Sunday we will pack up the tents and go for a longer run, probably about 10 miles at a steady social pace, starting at about 10:30am. Will confirm the meeting point to anyone interested once we get there.
People have expressed interest in the whole weekend or in either day. It is less than an hour’s drive from Bristol so easy to do whatever suits.
Westbury Harriers Publicity Day at Blaise, Saturday 17th June
It is great that Blaise Parkrun is finally up and running. It looks like lots of Westbury Harriers are already taking part.
On Saturday 17 June we are planning to open up the Clubhouse, an opportunity for members to get together after their run for a drink and a chat, as well as showing Park Runners who don’t already run with a club that we are based there and that runnning with Westbury Harriers might be for them.
If you already run at Blaise Parkrun then we will see you there! If not maybe a good day to try it out. It would be great if runners could wear club vests and if we could get a really good range of runners taking part.
We plan to offer drinks and biscuits afterwards, any help with that would be appreciated, maybe if you aren’t running it would be a good opportunity to catch up and help out!
Club Feedback Meeting
Q. Time trial at Yate. BBQ/Fun relay at Yate. Get people familiar with track running. During covid Mike Mewse kindly organised some track time trials. People enjoyed this and would be good to see again.
A. A track night has been arranged on Friday 23rd June at Yate at 7.30pm. Details are being finalised but there will be some different events where people can run with similar paced people. The idea for people to experience running on a track in a no pressure environment and build people’s confidence in track running. The bar will be open afterwards to make it into a social event.
Q. London marathon places allocation. Previously you had to initially enter the ballot and show evidence of this. Then people who had been unsuccessful in previous draws got priority. This people got club place who hadn’t entered the initial London marathon ballot and had not been in the club long. There should be a clear procedure be some perks for loyalty to the club and this may encourage people to stick with WH.
A. We would like to apologise that this year the London Marathon places had to be done very quickly and explain why. England Athletic changed the system allocation, which the committee was not fully aware of. An email went to a committee member who was in hospital at the time and therefore could not respond to. We needed to allocate the places quickly before we lost them.
It is agreed that we should stick to the same system every year so club member know the process.
The process will be; members must show they had entered the ballot and they must also have been a club member at the time that they were rejected.
Q. We shouldn’t have given £500 to Parkrun
A. The club received a grant in covid and felt this should support local community initiatives.
As a club we support Parkrun’s ethos of encouraging people of all ages and abilities to enjoy running. Lots of WH club members regularly take part and enjoy Parkruns and we wanted to support the start up of a Parkrun where we are based. Having a Parkrun at Blaise could also benefit the club and our events in terms of attracting new members who enjoy running in Blaise.
Q. Raffling a free membership for attending the AGM
A. We haven’t taken this forward as we agreed we would like people to attend the AGM because they are interested in how the club runs and operates and want to contribute their ideas and thoughts.
We do appreciate the AGM is not the most exciting event, but it is important the club completes this properly, openly and fairly. We hope as previously mentioned that with next years AGM being held back in person in the previous format after training with a buffet provided will be more encouraging for people to attend.
Strava Segment of the Week
Well done to Finn Goodhew, racing at the Millfield BMC in the 3,000m. Not only did Finn achieve a PR on Strava segment 200 Meter Bolt Special in 34 seconds but he also achieved a 3,000m PR in 9:05!
Diary Dates
Monday 5th June Blaise Blazer Trail Race
Wednesday 7th June Bitton 5k Race 2
Thursday 8th June Rowberry Romp, by TACH
Thursday 8th June Club Supper
Saturday 10th June Man V Horse
Sunday 11th June Bradley Stoke 10k
Tuesday 13th June Race 2 Rose Inn Series, Chepstow Harriers
Tuesday 13th June Clevedon Mid summer 10k (Club Championship)
Friday 16th June GWR Towpath Race 2
Friday 23rd June Yate Track Taster Session
Saturday 24th June Maverick Adidas Terrex FoD Trail race, various distances
Tuesday 27th June Sri Chimnoy 2 mile (Club Championship)
Thursday 29th June 19:30 Thornbury 10k Road Race, Thornbury Running Club
Friday 30th June 19:00 Beer and Banger 10K, Nailsea Running Club
Wednesday 5th July Bitton 5k Race 3 and Club Championship Race
Thursday 6th July Tintern Trot Trail Race, Chepstow Harriers
Friday 7th July GWR Towpath Race 3
Saturday 8th to Sunday 9th July Brecon Fans Race Weekend. Horseshoe 10 miler and Pen y Fan
Tuesday 11th July Race 3 Rose Inn Series, Chepstow Harriers
Sunday 23rd July 5 mile Age Grader road race (Club Championship) Rogueruns
Saturday 29th July Magor 10k Road Race massive PB potential on a mega flat route
Wednesday 2nd August Bitton 5k Race 4
Tuesday 8th August Race 4 Rose Inn Series, Chepstow Harriers and Club Championship Race
Wednesday 16th August Crook Peak Fell Race – Club Championship Race
Friday 18th August GWR towpath race 4
Saturday 19th August Race the Train, trail event and you chase the choo choo
Monday 21st August Club Charity Hash and Cake Sale
Sunday 27th August Severn Bridge Half Marathon and 10k
Saturday 16th September Relish Running Cheddar Road Race
Saturday 23rd September Midland Road Relays
Friday 29th September – Sunday 1st October. Trail running weekend, Peak District.
Saturday 30 September – Sunday 1st October World Athletics Road Running Champs Riga 1 mile, 5km and half marathon
Sunday 17th September Copenhagen Half Marathon (part of the Super Half Series)
Sunday 17th September Oldbury 10 miler Thornbury Running Club
Sunday 24th September Forest of Dean Autumn Half Marathon
Sunday 1st October Cardiff Half Marathon (part of the Super Half Series)
Editor this Week
Ian Gawinowski is Westbury Harriers Communications Officer and can be contacted via communication@westburyharriers.co.uk
